Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
Platform: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
Region: Europe
Media: Cartridge
Controller: Gamepad
Genre: Platformer
Gametype: Licensed
Release Year: 1990
Developer: Westone Co.
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
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They're ferocious, beastly, wicked - you name it. That's right. The monsters from the far end of the universe have invaded. They've pillaged Xenobia and now they're headed for your town! Join Leo and Priscila and destroy them before it's too late to save the world!

Directions:

You play a green-haired boy hero (player 1) or a pink-haired girl hero (player 2) who must attack the invaders that attempt to collect weapons and use them to destroy the land. The game starts out like a simple platform game, but it's just when Wonder Boy enters the skull further on that the game is transformed into a shoot 'em up, so basically the gameplay consists of action and shooter scenes.

Gameplay:

The game balances basic concepts found in both platformers and arcade shooters. The player is able to jump and shoot projectiles from a sword. S/he must ride a flying dragon and confront a large boss throughout the second half of each round. The player's life bar steadily diminishes as time passes. Health is gained through collection of fruit and projectile weapons. Some fruits, when shot, will expand and burst into multiple items.

In the action scenes, your vitality decreases as you make your way towards the skull, but this can be restored by collecting fruit. A wide variety of weapons can be picked up, and not only do these allow you to use the weapons for a limited amount of time, but they also increase your vitality. In the shooter scenes, you ride your pink friend as you make your way through the scene. Here, your vitality remains static unless you are hit by an enemy passing by. As usual, there is a boss waiting for you at the end which you must defeat. Every boss changes color to show how much damage has been done to it. You have to defeat some bosses in two stages. If your vitality gets low in each scene, you'll lose a life. You can also choose to have Wonder Girl join you, as two players can play the game

Hints:

- Level Passwords - 
L1ZC: Level 1
2W: Level 10
B6EK: Level 11
73U: Level 12
WE5T:Level 13
ONE: Level 14
0000:Level 15
THC3:Level 16
YTC3:Level 17
DE4U:Level 18
R5H: Level 19
D6W: Level 2
3YGU:Level 20
PYZ: Level 21
YHX: Level 22
XY4V:Level 23
TTH: Level 24
EN7B:Level 3
PA9: Level 4
FW0D:Level 5
F2W: Level 6
AYEK:Level 7
6C2: Level 8
E20D:Level 9

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/genesis/home/581777.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Boy_III:_Monster_Lair